The present invention relates generally to watering devices for small animals or fowl and, more particularly, to devices for supporting drinker cups and/or drinker pins with respect to wire enclosures for fowl.
Small animals, fowl, and other livestock are typically raised or maintained individually or as small groups in wire enclosures or cages with food and water supplied directly to each cage. For example, in large scale poultry operations a number of cages may be arranged in batteries with water and feed conduits extending over the entire length of each battery, these conduits having one or more individual outlets for each cage. Various devices have been suggested in an attempt to provide a reliable supply of fresh water from the conduits to these outlets at all times.
It has been found to be desirable to permit the flow of fresh water from these outlets to be controllable by pecking action of the poultry themselves so that water is available whenever desired. At the same time, it is important to limit the excess flow of water beyond the chicken's actual needs and ability to consume so that water will not spill into the feed or accumulate beneath the cage. It is also desirable to limit the exposure of water to the atmosphere and aerobic contaminants so that it remains fresh. Likewise, the suitability of a particular watering device or drinker unit will also be a function of the number and size of the poultry in each cage. For example, cup drinkers having a given water volume that is satisfactory for adult hens may be inappropriate for small chicks.
Further, these factors are not static within a given poultry operation. At different poultry growth stages, different drinker units may be most efficient. Also, the operation may shift from one type of poultry to another using the same cage batteries. Further, drinker unit valves will, over time, wear out. Even where more expensive drinker units are available which have a greater useful lifetime with regard to wear, it is often desirable to frequently replace these units in the interests of sanitation. Thus, it is important that the drinker units be replaceable or interchangable with a minimum of cost and effort. For example, in one arrangement the primary fluid supply conduits overlay the poultry cages and flexible hoses provide a fluid connection between these conduits and each of the drinker units at the individual cages. As the poultry drinking requirements vary, or the drinker units wear out, it is more desirable to replace only the drinker units rather than the supply conduits and hoses as well.
While interchangeability of drinker units is important, it is also essential that the drinker units be secured to the individual cages to prevent relative movement there between even under frequent intermittent pecking forces. Otherwise as the poultry pecking action actuates the drinker valve, water may be spilled rather than consumed. Over time, such relative motion may cause excess wear and tear on the drinker unit and may force it into an orientation from which water is inaccessible to the poultry.
Another consideration in constructing and mass producing commercially marketable devices for releasably anchoring drinker units to poultry cages is that the poultry cages themselves are not necessarily of standardized construction and dimensions. This is especially true in cases where new drinker units are to be retrofit onto existing cage batteries. Other factors arise from the tremendous number of cages and drinker units involved in typical poultry operations: the drinker units and anchoring devices should be relatively inexpensive and easy to install in order to achieve widespread acceptance in the industry. It is also desirable to provide drinker units which may be adjusted to different heights on the cage to accommodate different size poultry.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved watering device arrangement with respect to enclosures for animals and poultry.
Another object is the provision of a cage anchor device for poultry drinker units which may be easily and securely attached to wire enclosures.
A further object is to provide an inexpensive means of releasably securing replaceable drinker units onto poultry cages.
Still another object is the provision of a commercially feasible device for releasably anchoring poultry drinker units in a variety of different orientations with respect to a wire enclosure.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained in the provision of a cage anchor, for supporting a drinker unit, having a retaining portion which receives a plurality of wire elements, these wire elements forming a portion of the poultry case enclosure, and retains these wire elements in a cooperating orientation so as to restrict motion of the drinker unit with respect to the cage enclosure. The retaining portion includes U-shaped slots for receiving at least two mutually intersecting wire elements. One of these wire elements is retained in its respective slot by a blocking pin passing through the open end of that slot. The other of the wire elements is retained by the cooperation of opposing slots engaging different lengths thereof.
The cage anchor also includes a fluid connection between the water supply line and the valved portion of the drinker unit. The drinker unit is secured to the cage anchor by rotatably interconnected hooks having engagement assisting ramps thereon. The drinker unit may have a fully contained valve unit therein or may employ a portion of the cage anchor as part of the valve housing. Either trigger pin or cup-type drinker units may be attached to the cage anchor of the present invention.
The cage anchor is moldable from plastic materials and/or may have portions ultrasonically welded thereto. The slot orientations in the retaining portion permit easy attachment to the cage enclosure and in a variety of different positions. At the same time the structural integrity and attachment will remain secure even under frequent intermittent pecking of large poultry.